Random musings from a befuddled mind getting ready to cover its first 11-man Texas high school football playoff game in December.

That's right, in my nearly 11-year career, I have never covered an 11-man football playoff game in December. I have both written about and done radio play-by-play for six-man state championship games, but I have never had that honor for the more traditional brand of football.

That ends Friday when the Hirschi Huskies face Decatur. Now this does come with an asterisk. This is a strange season when the third round of the playoffs is taking place on Dec. 1. Typically this round is played during Thanksgiving week.

So while I'm looking forward to some December football, I'm not going to complain if the Huskies do what we expect them to do Friday and beat Decatur. I have never covered a team that has advanced past the third round of the playoffs.

This feels like that year

*While I'm confident the Huskies aren't going to look past Decatur, I do think it would have been a safer game for them to have matched up with Andrews this round instead. It's the mental state that I worry about. Hirschi can't get overconfident when it comes to playing a team it already beat by 33 points.

Decatur remains dangerous despite the onslaught Hirschi placed on it earlier this season. The Eagles have gotten a few starters back on both sides of the ball and have averaged 50 points a game since that loss.

I do think Hirschi is clearly the better team. I fully expect the Huskies to win. The coaching staff will have them prepared, but you never know what's going through the mind of a teenager. As long as they truly don't take Decatur lightly, the Huskies should prevail victorious.

That would set up a highly-anticipated rematch with Argyle. The Huskies felt like they had Argyle on the ropes earlier this season, but six dropped passes were their undoing.

Since that loss, the fourth round, or state quarterfinals, of the playoffs have been circled. They've been counting down to this rematch. They're on the brink of achieving that goal.

*With the way I write columns after games, I don't always get to expound of all the major information of a game. I tend to grab one aspect and focus on it. Last week, it was the impact of the Hirschi passing game. Two weeks ago, I focused on the outstanding play of Daimarqua Foster on offense and Ezekiel Holmes on defense.

I haven't been giving enough ink to the Hirschi defense as a whole. The Huskies have played six consecutive quarters of impressive defense.

They nearly shut out Brownwood in second half of their bi-district matchup. The Lions' lone points after halftime came with 50 seconds left in the game.

Other than two drives, the Hirschi defense dominated Lubbock Estacado. That was an explosive offense the Huskies kept at bay for a majority of the game. And again, the Matadors had less and less success as the game wore on.

The first time Hirschi played Decatur, the Eagles had 18 offensive possessions. They scored on six of them. If the defense can replicate or better that success rate, Hirschi will come out a winner again Friday.

*A couple more Huskies received college offers that are worth mentioning.

Senior receiver Javen Banks got a Division I FCS offer from University of Central Arkansas. The Bears have been one of the best teams in the nation at its level, currently ranked third. Former Husky Cedric Battle is playing running back for the Bears, having scored seven touchdowns.

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Hirschi's Javen Banks runs to his position from the huddle in the game against Decatur Friday, Oct. 20, 2017, in Decatur at Eagles Stadium.(Photo: Lauren Roberts/Times Record News)

Banks was typically thought of as a basketball-first athlete, but figured out as a junior that his best chance of playing college athletics at the next level is on the football field. He is a great basketball player – one of the best in the Wichita Falls area. But he'd just be labeled as another athletic 6-foot-3 guard on the college level.

He stands out more as a receiver with his size and speed. He's shown great hands and an ability to go up and win the jump ball in the end zone. Banks has scored a school-record 12 receiving touchdowns this season.

Also of note is senior cornerback Gerrick McKinney receiving an offer from Midwestern State. I see this as a perfect match. McKinney has the size, speed and physicality to play at that level and he gets to do it at home. He's got a very close relationship with his mother that I profiled a bit earlier this season. Having her in the stands each week will be great for McKinney.

The Mustangs have benefited from WFISD players recently, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. Old High grad Michael Nash was a standout at defensive tackle during his true freshman season. Rider alum Tristan Shearman was among the Mustangs' leading tacklers at linebacker.

Expect more offers to come for the Huskies.

*The college football coaching carousel is always entertaining to track, but this year's takes the cake.

That's primarily because of the disaster that is the University of Tennessee coaching search. First, they hire former Rutgers coach and current Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano but the fan base rebels against it and they pull their offer from him.

Then they start courting Mike Gundy from Oklahoma State. Gundy proves his loyalty to his alma mater, turning down an offer that would have made him the fourth highest paid coach in the country to remain in Stillwater. Gundy is going to go down as the most important and beloved figure in OSU program history.

The Vols finally move on to Mike Leach. The deal seems to be about done, but AD John Currie gets called back to Knoxville before the contract is finalized and gets fired Friday morning.

Mike Leach enters 2017 with his best team since taking over the Washington State program.(Photo: Mark J. Terrill, AP)

The Leach fit is a little strange. Leach isn't great at handling boosters and doesn't like having other hands in the honey pot of his program, which is understandable. He's just not the best at schmoozing over those who want to get their two cents in.

That's why programs like Texas Tech and Washington State are a better fit for him. I don't think his time at Tennessee would have a happy ending.

It later came out Friday that former coach Phillips Fulmer had been undermining Currie's moves all along, hoping he could slide into the AD job. He was named interim AD, appearing to succeed in that capacity.

Personally, I think this ends with USC offensive coordinator Tee Martin getting the job. Martin was the QB who guided Tennessee to its last national championship under Fulmer. There's so rumors about Les Miles now getting the job, too.

It has to be a very scary proposition at this point. Martin might be willing to deal with all the drama and unrest because he's so invested in the program, but most good coaches are wanting to stay away from Knoxville right now.

*This is a huge weekend for college football. The CFP rankings are in disarray. There are only two undefeated teams remaining. Wisconsin still isn't considered the best, or even second best, team in the Big Ten. Central Florida has no shot at making the playoff, but should be in for one of the New Year's Day Six bowls.

The Badgers are perceived to at least control their own destiny. Beat Ohio State for the Big Ten Championship and get in the playoff. It's that simple.

It's safe to say either Auburn or Georgia will make the playoff, too. Those two square off in the SEC title game.

Clemson, currently ranked No. 1, gets in with a win against Miami in the ACC Championship. It remains to be seen if the Canes can jump Oklahoma and Alabama should then beat Clemson.

I fear for OU's spot in the playoff. The Sooners are currently ranked third, but I see a situation where the committee leaves them out. OU obviously has to beat TCU for the Big 12 title, but the Sooners need to be cheering for Ohio State and Miami.

If Wisconsin does remain undefeated and Clemson wins as expected, is it too crazy to think the committee won't jump Alabama over OU for the fourth spot? We're talking about Alabama. Anything is possible when it comes to the Tide.

I'm not saying OU isn't more deserving. I just don't trust the committee to put the Sooners in over Bama.

*The Dallas Cowboys looked more like the 2016 version of themselves in Thursday's win against Washington. It might be too little, too late, but it does keep some glimmer of playoff hopes alive for the time being.

Dallas dominated in the trenches. That was the difference. It was the best the offensive line had played as a unit all season. Tyron Smith had his best game.

The pass rush was found again, removing its picture off the side of the milk carton. And the Cowboys forced four turnovers.

They get 10 days to prepare for the lowly Giants. Sean Lee should be back to lead the defense, which makes a huge difference. They've got one last gasp left in them. We'll see how long they can make it last.

*Speaking of the Giants, the benching of Eli Manning is long overdue. There's been all this talk about how the Giants mishandled the situation, but the truth is they waited far too long to make the move.

Manning has been dreadful this season. He's played at a very low level, even for him. He's one of the most overrated QBs in NFL history. No other quarterback has benefited so heavily from unbelievable catches by receivers.

Whether it was David Tyree, Mario Manningham or Odell Beckham, his receivers have made him look better than he is.

The Giants are in the market for a QB and one has to assume Eli's tenure in New York is quickly drawing to an end.